


Sea Glass

by MarinetteAgresteBrand



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien always thought Luka was a mermaid princess, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - The Little Mermaid Fusion, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Beaches, Bittersweet Ending, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Endgame Adrinette, F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, Fairy Tale Retellings, First Love, Fluff, Little Mermaid Elements, Love, Luka is the mermaid and Adrien is the Prince, M/M, Music, Ocean, Princes & Princesses, Romantic Fluff, Tears, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:08:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29737122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarinetteAgresteBrand/pseuds/MarinetteAgresteBrand
Summary: After fourteen years, Luka returns to the Atlantic to meet his childhood friend and first love, Prince Adrien, once more. However he soon comes to find that that Adrien had forgotten all about him and their promise of marriage. Unable to stay away and watch as his prince is married off to someone else, Luka exchanges his voice for a pair of human legs in hopes to rekindle their love once more. Despite the pain he must endure, Luka knows that it'll all be worth it if Adrien will be happy.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Luka Couffaine, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 5
Kudos: 6
Collections: February 2021 - Rewrite a classic





	Sea Glass

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU attempt at a re-write of _The Little Mermaid_. It will end similarly to how the original fairy tale ends so before you begin, know this is starting with Lukadrien and ending with Adrinette.
> 
> Thank you to Khanofallorcs for the beta!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They were children when they met and never thought much about genders (they're both very pretty). Let's say that Luka looks a bit more androgynous in this fic. Adrien assumes that Luka is actually a beautiful girl/mermaid, never having heard of a merman.

With fondness, Luka watched as Rose braided seaflowers into his sister’s hair. “You look lovely, Juleka.”

“She’s absolutely stunningl!” Rose gleamed with pride. “My Princess, you’ve the most beautiful hair across the Seven Seas.”

“Th-Thank you, you two.” Juleka blushed, her flowy dark hair falling into place as her lover’s fingers caressed her locks. Her hair was beginning to turn purple like her tail, just like how Luka’s once dark hair had turned teal — indicators of their royal blood and physical maturity. 

“It be time to roll along now.” Queen Anarka announced to the other merfolk. “We’ll be back at Atlantika before ye know it.” Despite her laid back attitude and writing it off as “going with the flow,” Anarka was a surprisingly excellent ruler. 

Luka couldn’t hold back his excitement; being part of the royal family, it was customary for him to follow the Queen of the Sea in her travels, and while he did enjoy seeing what the rest of the ocean had to offer, he could never forget his love in the Atlantic.

It’d been fourteen years since he’d last seen him, the human boy whose hair shone golden like the sun and bright green eyes like anemone.

With plans to leave come morning light, the merman happily spent his first night back in the underwater palace strumming at his silent lyre and dreaming back to when he was but a child and would sneak off to the surface.

* * *

Although it was forbidden to travel to the surface prior to adulthood, Luka had tended to wander and had few worries, as his mother always encouraged him and his sister to follow their hearts. By doing so, one could uncover hidden treasures or in Juleka’s case, after taking a chance, find true love. 

Countless times had he been warned about the dangers of the surface; chaos ran rampant with pirates, poachers, and greedy land-creatures called humans. But even still, their world seemed beautiful, because the music made by their instruments was unlike any he’d heard before. So as long as the music played, Luka would swim as close as he could to listen for just a little longer.

And that was how Luka met him, a young prince of the land, his first and only love, Adrien. 

It was one early evening, where the looming grey clouds began to drizzle rain upon the surface. At the time, Luka had found himself a little too close to shore, having followed a small fishing boat until the music stopped.

Readying himself to depart, he suddenly found himself frozen at the sound of someone’s cries. They belonged to a human child, one who looked to be just a bit younger than Juleka. Luka didn’t know why, but felt his heart begin to ache for the boy, wishing for him to smile instead.

Hiding behind a rock formation, the merman took a deep breath and began to sing. Despite still being a child himself, he’d been praised by all for his singing, with rumors of him being destined to possess perhaps even the most beautiful voice in all the sea. 

And within mere moments the crying ceased, the child’s heart and soul having been soothed by the almost otherworldly sound. “Hello? Is someone there?” He managed to speak through his sniffles, slowly rising to his feet.

Thunder boomed through the sky and Luka went silent. The rain had begun pouring a bit harder with a full-on storm threatening to rage on. Luka knew it’d be best to get back quickly. 

“Whoever you are, thank you…” His feet tapped against the damp stone edge. “Your song was beautiful…”

Satisfied that his audience was no longer tearful, Luka readied himself to dive when he suddenly heard a splash.

“Ah— help—!” The gurgling sounds placed Luka on high alert. After seeing that the boy was no longer on dry land, but instead flailing against the currents, Luka felt a shot of adrenaline coursing through his veins. 

Fiercely, he swam against the waves and made it to the boy’s side, scooping him into his arms. “Hold on!” Luka felt the boy’s shaky hands grasp onto his shoulders before tightening his grip, desperate to keep warm. 

“Pl-Please, don’t let go…” the smaller boy whispered as he buried his face in Luka’s neck.

“I won’t.” Luka vowed, and despite the difficulty of the situation, they managed to safely swim back to shore.

When they reached the coastline, Luka gently sat the boy onto the sand. Although he’d been placed on solid land, the boy continued to cling to Luka as if desperate not to let go. 

“Hey… it’s okay.” Luka hugged the boy, hoping to provide comfort. “You’re okay, you’re safe now…” Despite the risks of staying out in the open, he too found himself not wanting to let go.

After a few coughs and sniffles, the boy pulled back to meet his gaze. Luka suddenly found himself speechless, because the child in his arms looked so radiant that Luka thought for sure he’d been blessed by the gods. 

“Thank you… thank you so much.” He sniffled. And somehow, his green eyes shimmered even as his tears ran down his cheeks. 

Nodding, still too enchanted to speak, Luka reached out to cup the child’s face. He was soft, warm, pure… Unable to hold himself back Luka pressed his lips to the boy’s cheeks to find his tears sweet in comparison to the saltiness of the sea.

The boy’s face flushed red as precious coral, his small hands making their way over the merperson’s. It was only then he realized that the person who’d saved him had a fishtail with shimmering deep blue scales. “My name… it’s—”

“Prince Adrien!” A voice called out. “Prince Adrien, are you out there?”

The two stiffened in surprise before pulling away from one another. Swiftly, Luka turned away to submerge his body back into the sea.

“Please wait, don’t leave!” Prince Adrien pleaded. “I haven’t been able to thank you yet.”

Luka shook his head, finding himself able to speak again. “There’s… no thanks necessary.” The sounds of the search party’s march drew closer. “Please don’t tell anyone about me.” He requested, his tail splashing against the tide. “Please… keep my existence a secret, Adrien.”

It was the first time someone had dared to call Adrien by his name without a title, and for some reason he didn’t mind. “I-I will… but... but could I perhaps meet you again?” 

“Perhaps… maybe…” For some reason, Luka couldn’t find it in him to deny the human prince’s request. “I promise to see you again, but for now I must go.”

“Please…” His body finally registered all it’d endured, leaving his lungs aching in his chest and mouth gasping for air. “Before you go, please tell me your name...” A haze was beginning to fog up his mind, his eyes growing weary all while trailing down the other boy’s body.

Throwing caution into the wind, the sea prince gave his reply. “It’s Luka.”

* * *

When Luka awoke the next morning, he found his heart fluttering with hope as he began his journey to the surface.

As his fins propelled him through the water, Luka sang softly, recalling the summer he’d spent meeting with the young human prince in secret — each moment a treasured memory he’d kept locked within his heart.

Combing through his teal locks, Luka sat on the rocks and gazed off into the distance, hoping to catch a glimpse of his beloved, just like he had back when they were children, his mind flashing back to when he last visited the Atlantic coast.

* * *

Within just a few weeks, after having followed a ship filled with merry sailors toward the shore, he found himself near the royal’s private beach once more. After climbing onto the rocks, Luka took a seat and began to comb through his black hair. His gaze shifted toward the land and, all at once, he took in the scenery; the architecture of the walls and buildings, the sounds of nature, and the seemingly endless activity that the humans chose to partake in all left him dumbfounded. The sea’s harmony somehow began to fade as his mind drifted in wonder to what it would be like to be a part of their world.

And as if by fate, he snapped out of his reverie as his eyes caught a glimpse of how the sun reflected off the golden locks of a child who ran down the beach cliffs, sobbing. “It’s him…” He whispered as he watched the boy collapse onto the sound and start full-on crying. Forsaking all the warning signs and all he’d ever known, it was as if fate had orchestrated an opportunity to keep the promise of a second encounter. Like how a siren lured sailors overboard, Luka couldn’t help himself. And so he swam over and extended out his hand. “Adrien…” At the sound of his voice, the boy’s sobbing paused and he slowly lifted up.

“Lu-Luka…” Adrien sniffled before grabbing a hold of his hand. “You really came back!”

Luka felt his throat tighten, suddenly at a loss for words. “Yes.” That single word was all he managed to whisper.

Adrien broke out into a beaming smile so radiant and hopeful, that the truth of their meeting having occurred out of pure coincidence had vanished with the wind. 

And over the course of the season, Luka found himself faithfully returning to the young boy’s side to comfort him in times of need. He came to find that the boy was a prince, one named Adrien Athenaise Agreste, who had grown tired of his harsh tutors and endless studies. Luka knew the feeling quite well, being a royal himself, they had quite a lot in common, however with the Queen of the Sea being the way she was, well, it was safe to say his teachers had been much more lenient than Adrien’s.

Although their meetings had to be kept a secret, Adrien found himself not caring. He was glad to have a friend, especially one as amazing as Luka. Everything about Luka — the dark as night hair, ocean blue eyes, and iridescent scales were all so beautiful. He’d overheard on more than one occasion tales of seafaring men having encountered alluring half-person, half-fish creatures called mermaids, but never had he ever thought he himself could meet one, let alone get close.

Contrary to his crybaby-like tendencies, Adrien understood feelings well, and there was no denying his own. When Luka would take the time to teach him something, he was touched by his patience. When Luka’s hand held his, he felt safe. And when Luka would sing, the song would resonate in his heart. To Adrien, Luka was kindness, compassion, and beauty and he found himself falling fast and hard.

Just as much as Luka taught Adrien about royal obligations and the ocean, Adrien fascinated Luka with rich details about the human world’s history. Adrien even taught Luka about music and how to play his favorite instrument, the lyre.

The days turned to months with neither of them finding any greater happiness than in the few hours by each other’s side. But their time together had ended far too soon, the reality of them living in two different worlds came crashing down like waves.

Luka watched as Adrien transformed from meeting him in tears to instead greeting him with a smile. No longer needing to hear his songs to find comfort, but instead listening out of desire, Luka found it best to leave on a high note.

“Adrien,” Luka began strumming softly at the beautiful lyre the prince had given him, watching as the boy inspected the pretty little trinkets he’d gathered as a parting gift, “There’s something I need to tell you.”

Adrien grinned, happy at all the new things to add to the little treasure chest beneath his bed in the palace. “What is it, Luka?” His cheeks flushed that red coral color that Luka found all too charming.

“I…” An icy wind blew through the beach making Adrien shiver at how cold it had gotten, the water even too chilly for him to even touch. Luka bit his bottom lip to stop it from quivering. “It’s about time for me to leave… my family, we have to move.” As per tradition, the ruler of the seven seas was to migrate to new waters every two years to ensure proper order in the kingdom and with the queen being his mother, it was a given that he and his sister would follow.

“Wha-What? Wait… you’re _leaving_?” Eyes growing wide and body twitching in shock at what he’d heard, Adrien turned. “No, you can’t leave! No, don’t leave me, Luka!” Adrien had heard Luka talk of his family’s situation before, but he’d grown used to the happiness he shared with his friend. “I don’t want you to leave.” He never realized how quickly time had passed. 

“I know…” The look of devastation and anguish on Adrien’s face brought insurmountable grief and pain to Luka’s heart. “I don’t want to leave you either… but I have to.” As Adrien began to cry, Luka couldn’t help but pull his trembling body closer.

“Love you…” The whispered words were muffled as Adrien buried his face in the crook of Luka’s neck. Desperately, Adrien held on, warming Luka’s smooth scales and skin like the last rays of sunlight clinging to the earth at dusk, unwilling to let go. “I love you...” The human prince confessed, hot tears running down his cheeks. His chest was hurting so bad that he felt he could hardly breathe. “Luka…”

“Me too…” Luka finally admitted his truth. “I love you, Adrien.” No matter how many times he told himself it was a bad idea, no matter how forbidden, Luka knew he had completely fallen for his human companion. “But…” Body growing rigid at the feeling of the boy in his arms suddenly starting to pull away, Luka felt his throat get tight.

“Really?” Anemone green eyes widened in shock, as if surprised by the answer. “You do?” As Adrien smiled, he began to cry once more, shedding tears of joy. “Luka, why are you crying too?” He asked as he cupped his beloved’s cheeks in his small hands.

Pearlescent tears streamed down Luka’s face, turning to beautiful iridescent stones as they hit the sand — Adrien had never seen a sight as beautiful as this. “I’m just so happy…” Luka whispered as he pressed his forehead to Adrien’s. 

Despite them being just children, they knew their feelings of first love to be true.

“Do you promise to come back someday?” Adrien asked as he sat beside his beloved.

“I do…” Luka gazed off far into the horizon, “But fourteen years is a long time… a lot can change in that many years.” Despite being happy that his love was requited, Luka still knew it was for the best that Adrien forget about him; after all, they were each destined to rule a kingdom one day — land and sea, they were two entirely different worlds. “I will only ever wish for your happiness, Adrien… even if you do forget about me…”

“I won’t forget...” Adrien shook his head as he gathered the pearlescent gems into his palms and looked back into those ocean blue eyes he loved so much. “After all, I’ll have these to remember you by.” Adrien had gathered Luka’s tears in the palm of his hand, the different colored sea glass shimmering like jewels. “In fourteen years, I’ll be an adult and we can finally get married! You’ll make the most amazing bride and I’ll kiss you just like... this!” Shyly, Adrien pecked Luka’s lips, stealing a kiss. 

Adrien’s sudden proposal took Luka off guard. And when Luka finally laughed, Adrien smiled too as he tried to commit the otherworldly beauty’s appearance to memory — the dark as night hair and ocean blue eyes… Oh how he wished he could swim away, leave all his worries behind to be with the mermaid he loved, forever basking in the light of their love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao, I told myself to make this like some 700 word oneshot or something and now here we are with a multichapter series that I had no plans whatsoever to write, simply because I could not back down from a challenge.  
> RIP ME.

**Author's Note:**

> Hit me up on the [Miraculous Fanworks Discord Server](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) where you can discuss Miraculous Ladybug, get feedback on fics, share fanart, and make friends!


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